Basic Defensive battery:

It seems to me that anyone grabbing his gun after the balloon goes up, WILL be fighting Indians. (or Greeks, or Koreans, or Ugandans, or...) What little you'll find in houses will belong to people who never made it home.

With the obvious exception of pretty much anyone reading this, most people have never even thought about what they'll do when things get bad. Have you ever gone backpacking with a newbie? They try to take EVERYTHING. I've seen 150 pound men show up with 80 pound packs. I'd expect the same thing when (if) they decide to get out of Dodge.

Again, just my

 

I listen to Tom whenever I can, and I have his show (podcast) downloaded each week.

The AR is the #1 selling rifle. Makes for lots of 5.56/.223 shooters.

 

If Melbo bugs out, I am going to sneak into his house and bug in. I know he can't carry it all........... Wow... Ooooooooohhhhhhhhh

 

Well folks when I would read survivalist articles 20-30 years ago I would often laugh thinking the author was a bit cracked in the head , now I find myself wondering why more aren't paying heed to them .

What has changed my opinion on the subject ? All of this multiculturalism/liberalism/communism that has prevailed in all of the free nations all across Europe and North America combined with the very real threat of an almost incurable strain of influenza as the Bird flu strain and the influx of uneducated who have no idea of what personal hygiene is much less practice it .

I don't think it is going to be a straw that breaks the camels back but a Giant Redwood log that crushes the whole damn camel !

With all of our enemies now being offered an open door from Muslims to socialist South Americans added to the already volatile situation of race relations with the blacks and I think that not only our nation but the world itself is a powder keg about to blow .

I can see another outbreak of the flu kill hundreds of millions almost 100 years to the day/year as it did in the last century , only this time the people of the world wont be cooperating with each other but instead making power grabs for entire countries , perhaps continents with a huge backlash against Christians/whites for being so damn stupid for treating them all as equals .

I truly hope those fond of the 223 and 9mm find their faith well placed because if it happens when they're in their 50's or 60's running wont be an option .

 

The original intent of this post seems to have been lost.

What I outlined was a good, simple but fairly through BASIC DEFENSIVE BATTERY.

NOT a fight a war battery
NOT a bug out battery...

And for you guys planning on scrounging... I hope you like carrying a 30-06, 30-30, AND a 270...
(If you are carrying one what makes you sure you won't find the other type of ammo...?)

 

If scroungeing for ammo I would have to say that the best bet would be 2 rifles, a 10/22 for general use as .22 is with out question THE easiest/most likely to find, then something like a Thompson or a NEA handy rifle with barrels in each flavor.

Im VERY surprised about the #1 selling rifle unless its CENTERFIRE rifle only. I figured the 10/22 would still be ahead of all the rest if it covered ALL rifles.

I think region may play a big roll in what would be most comon after .22 and 12 guage, those 2 I would venture to say are THE most popular ammo everywhere. I mean I could see where 7.62x39 would be a LOT more popular than say .308 say here in MO where shots much past 100 yards are rare for game and being able to see over 500 yards is generaly rare and that round will easily take anything that moves in the region. It migh be less popular than the .308 say in the pacific NW where you would be better off to have something with more punch for cats, bear, elk and possibly moose as well as being likely to comonly have shots out around 300-500 yards and could easily have situations where you could shoot much further. Head down to the SW and deer or pigs are about the bigest stuff around and predator shooting is common so a long range accurate round is needed but massivepower isnt that big of a deal so .223 would work well. I would imagine that a lot of cal choices are made based on those types of things. I still would hate to plan on trying to scrounge for ammo though since that is likely to be a VERY common thing for all the folks who just came up with a gun after TSHTF or only kept a box or 2 of shells around so its likely to be scarce quick. Then too if you were scroungeing another thing to consider is that 06 and .270 amo and such is nearly always bought by 1-2 boxes, .308, 7.62x39, .223 and such are VERY commonly bought by the multiple case or at least several boxes at a time, so if you find .270 ammo it would likely be say 10 rounds, if you find 7.62 ammo...how much do you figure you can carry.

 

Nope. All rifles. 4 million ARs sold. I would have thought the rimfire .22 was more popular also.

I think the thread has gotten off-track. This is purely a basic defensive battery of firearms. We survival minded individuals seem to think this includes foraging for ammo. I don't believe that was the intent when the thread was first posted. Nor was it a battery of rifles to survive the apocalypse either. A subsonic .22 serves a good purpose to pop sentries quietly, or a light revealing your position, or animal control. However, I cannot think of one "defensive" reason to use one unless it was maybe a tiny NAA .22 revolver you had in your pocket. as a all-out last ditch weapon. Anything a .22 can do, a centerfire rifle of a bigger caliber can do better (for defensive purposes).

Defensive battery for me: AR, .45 (XD or 1911), 12 gauge Remington Tactical/Mossy 500. If defensive meant long term siege then I am sure the .300 scoped win mag. would come into play also. I could swap out the AK for my AR, I feel proficient with either. I just feel that the AR is more ergonomically correct for me. Last ditch: Keltec .32 auto in my pocket where it always resides. No .22 rimfire.

 

Question Nomad: Why a tactical sling and not a basic surplus sling? I'm not an expert with slings, but am aware that the basic web slings can work slung up not only strong or weak side, but also cross draw style. Do the tac slings offer that much more, especially considering the average cost is more?

Also, a related question: I see that Tactical Response requires tactical slings in their course description for their Fighting Rifle classes. I'm planning on taking the Fighting Rifle class this spring and was just wondering what the deal with this is. Won't they accept the basic sling in their classes?

Thanks man!

 

It's MUCH easier to use a single point, and MUCH quicker to transition.

I can shoot a rifle from ether shoulder with a single point.

 

Doc, I can also tell you having just carried a M4 for a year, a tac sling allows you to carry a weapon in a ready position while doing other work. For example, with a tac sling, you can hold the weapon in a ready position with your body taking the entire weight load while you do something else, still being at the ready. That is just not something a regular sling is able to do with the same ease. When you watch the news of soldiers working a street in Iraq, look at their rifles, they are usually on a tac sling in a low port ready while they work the crowd. As an aviator, the tac sling allowed me to use the rifle, keeping at least one hand free while climbing around and the other hand kept the rifle ready to use in awkward positions. It also allows the rifle to be hung in a position that if you need both hands, you can let go and the rifle is where you cn get easy access instead of having to put it on your back. Some argue this point, but it worked well for me.